Meantime, Florida’s Blood Centers later this month will reduce its wait time from one year down to four months.

The state began regulating tattoo parlors and artists on Jan. 1, but LifeSouth officials decided to wait and make sure the state was enforcing the new health codes, said Tom Davis, LifeSouth’s community development coordinator in Marion County.

Galen Unold, the LifeSouth director of recruitment and retention, said officials feel strongly that the state has tightened “its laws on the inspection and licensing of tattoo parlors.”

LifeSouth had earlier made a similar change for its donors in Alabama when that state tightened its licensing and inspection regulation.

“With tattoos increasing in popularity, more and more people were prevented from donating, but it was important because our number one goal is keeping the blood supply safe,” Unold said in a press release. “These new state regulations should make that process safer and also allow more people to donate blood.”

Some potential donors still face a one-year wait. Anyone who has received a one-year deferral because of a tattoo will not be permitted to donate until their year has elapsed.

Anyone with questions can call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707.

LifeSouth is the sole blood provider for the Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center, Shands Trauma Center and Shands Hospital, all located in Gainesville.

Florida’s Blood Centers, which services Marion County hospitals, said it will soon reduce the waiting period from one year to four months, spokesman Pat Michaels said.

Florida’s Blood Centers distributes blood locally to Munroe and Ocala regional medical centers, as well as the Timberidge and West Marion facilities.

The new state law requires tattoo parlors and artists to be licensed and inspected by the state. Before the law went into effect, people who got tattooed in Florida had to wait one year before they could give blood because blood banks wanted to make sure donors were free of diseases — especially hepatitis, HIV and herpes — after an inking.

Experts say the new regulations will offer some assurance that tattoo parlors are using safe practices and that their customers are not passing along diseases when they donate blood.

Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.

<p>Area residents who get a tattoo from a state-regulated parlor no longer have to wait a year to donate blood at LifeSouth Community Blood Centers of Central Florida, the organization announced Tuesday.</p><p>Meantime, Florida's Blood Centers later this month will reduce its wait time from one year down to four months.</p><p>The state began regulating tattoo parlors and artists on Jan. 1, but LifeSouth officials decided to wait and make sure the state was enforcing the new health codes, said Tom Davis, LifeSouth's community development coordinator in Marion County.</p><p>Galen Unold, the LifeSouth director of recruitment and retention, said officials feel strongly that the state has tightened “its laws on the inspection and licensing of tattoo parlors.”</p><p>LifeSouth had earlier made a similar change for its donors in Alabama when that state tightened its licensing and inspection regulation.</p><p>“With tattoos increasing in popularity, more and more people were prevented from donating, but it was important because our number one goal is keeping the blood supply safe,” Unold said in a press release. “These new state regulations should make that process safer and also allow more people to donate blood.”</p><p>Some potential donors still face a one-year wait. Anyone who has received a one-year deferral because of a tattoo will not be permitted to donate until their year has elapsed.</p><p>Anyone with questions can call LifeSouth toll-free at 888-795-2707.</p><p>LifeSouth is the sole blood provider for the Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Medical Center, Shands Trauma Center and Shands Hospital, all located in Gainesville.</p><p>Florida's Blood Centers, which services Marion County hospitals, said it will soon reduce the waiting period from one year to four months, spokesman Pat Michaels said.</p><p>Florida's Blood Centers distributes blood locally to Munroe and Ocala regional medical centers, as well as the Timberidge and West Marion facilities.</p><p>The new state law requires tattoo parlors and artists to be licensed and inspected by the state. Before the law went into effect, people who got tattooed in Florida had to wait one year before they could give blood because blood banks wanted to make sure donors were free of diseases — especially hepatitis, HIV and herpes — after an inking.</p><p>Experts say the new regulations will offer some assurance that tattoo parlors are using safe practices and that their customers are not passing along diseases when they donate blood.</p><p><i>Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter at JoeOcalaNews.</i></p>